Two years ago, inspired by the BlueIce G4 mod, I decided to upgrade my Sawtooth G4 and try to take the built-in LCD idea to the max with the largest screen I could fit into the tower - a 6.5” LCD. I also wanted to modernize the look with a chrome & white color scheme to match my 2G iPod. When the original LCD died during the mod, the project went on the shelf for a year. I recently came across a nice LCD on eBay and decided to revive the project for the 2006 contest.
The history of my Sawtooth is a little unusual. It began life as part of a GE medical ultrasound imaging system. When the ultrasound was scrapped and parted out, I purchased the G4 parts. It had no case plastics - just the metal can and internals. I found a dead B&W and transplanted the plastics. The “B&W G4” was my main Mac for a couple of years before the mod.
Supplies:
1 Krylon White Flat - $5
1 Krylon Chrome - $5
LCD screen - $45
DC power supply - $18
Miro/Pinnacle DC30 PCI card - $12
Squared 5 DC30 drivers - $0
Radeon PCI card - $30
Radeon AGP card - $30
Sawtooth - $200
Total Damage - $345
Disassembly:
First remove the optical drive tray. Remove the interface and power cables from the back of the drive(s). Remove the bezel by pushing two plastic tabs along the right side of the bezel on the inside of the tower. Remove the two screws on the face of the drive tray and pull it out.
Remove the mobo & PCI cards.
Next remove all the case plastics. Start by removing all the handles. After the plastics are off, remove the Apples from the side panels by pushing through the center on the inside with a narrow metal rod of some sort. Remove the clear apple from the front panel also.
Painting:
I was fairly dissatisfied with the chrome paints. I tried 3 or 4 different brands. They didn’t look as metallic as I has hoped. Also the chrome paints smudge easily and the paint rubs off even after it is fully dry. For good results, I think a clear coat over the chrome is essential.
Screen Installation:
Get out your power tools! Cut a hole in the front of the metal can to fit your LCD. I found that the reciprocating saw was best. There is just too much metal cutting for a Dremel tool.
The window in the plastic front panel was cut using the Dremel router accessory and a ¼ router bit. The plastic tends to melt rather than cut cleanly with many of the various Dremel cutting heads. I found that for some plastic removal, the wire brush works amazingly well. It tends to fling off the plastic before it can melt and reattach.
Video Functionality:
The machine can be booted to the internal screen from either the AGP or PCI card. The LCD can be used as a second monitor. The one use of the screen will be to watch DVDs while working on the main screen. Unfortunately, the iTunes visualizer with the DC30 card doesn’t work as well as I had hoped. It is only in black & white for some reason.
Additional Images:
Comments (1)
25-06-2007 01:56
i need some help
Im trying to install a lcd much the same way. How can i wire and get my agp card to send video to it? Can i use the exsisting agp card or do i need a new vid card?
